Embracing the Future
by AngelOfFluffiness
Summary: Children are the future, to carry on the coding of their bloodlines. Sometimes they're adopted. Sometimes a miracle doesn't always look like a miracle. Facing a child who has lost everything to the images she cannot forget, what can Raven say when he might be the cause of her losses? Especially if the child seems so unreachable? Can Cedric help? Moreover...what has Eve built now?
1. Prologue: Bearing the Field

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
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**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

* * *

><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Prologue: Bearing the Field**

_'Miracles aren't always graceful...and some don't begin as miracles...'_

"So...you can't bear my brother a child?"

"I am not sure...I believe my systems and body would need severe modification."

"B-But I want a niece...or nephew...or both..."

"I'm sorry. Metal is a long way from a fleshy uter-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence."

"...sorry."

The Blazing Heart groaned loudly in exasperation and planted her face on the dinner table, sitting across from a certain nasod as the rest of the El Gang slept soundly in their rooms. Eve frowned somewhat guiltily as she looked on at the distressed woman before her; the sister of her husband. It had originally been said nasod going to the other for advice after a strange conversation with Elsword from the night prior to this beautiful day in Elrios. Now, however, Elesis was clearly not in an advisory stance...if she ever was. Eve sighed then, closing her eyes as she thought back to the whole conversation that had started this mess. Honestly, why had she asked such a stupid question in the first place? Worse, why did Elsword have to answer in such a complicated and illogical manner? For once, Eve realized she felt pretty stressed out about this subject, which had never come around to bother her before. All because of one dumb question...

"_Does it bother you that I'm...well, not human?"_

"_Huh? Not really...aside from you outliving me for however long I suppose..."_

"_Oh...good. I was just thinking that I-"_

"_Although I did want a kid one day. Especially because sis had always wanted to see my children when I grew up; so she said. I mean, I have to carry the bloodline somehow, right? I'm okay without that though...I'm probably too busy for children, aside from Cedric."_

"_Oh. Okay..."_

_But he had frowned. She had saw it...she knew that look in his eyes..._

_He was disappointed..._

It occurred to Eve that she should have known not to go to Elesis for such a matter, given what Elsword had said. Getting up and leaving Elesis there, Eve walked to find Chung in the next room. Sending said White Knight of Hamel to his girlfriend who was now depressed, the nasod watched him run to the saddened Blazing Heart before trying to think. Her systems and body would definitely need to be modified, probably far beyond possibilities right now. Maybe she had other options, and surely she did when she really thought of it. Eve immediately headed upstairs, deciding there was an important task before her now. On her way, she passed Raven and Seris, the former of which was carrying Cedric on down the stairs. Eve paused, watching Raven smile as Cedric played with the man's face. The laughter of said child...it was such a good sound, she had long decided.

The child was four years old now, and the nasod was happy for the joy that he brought to his parents. Raven had never been happier in the time the El Gang had known him, and the miracle of Seris being found after three years along with Raven's son, Cedric still was a great story of stories. She had been carrying the child at the time of what had been thought to be her death, but she had been disposed of in the Ruben forest later. There, the few people and the animals that lived there helped care for her until Cedric's incoming birth would wake her from sleep. They would wonder for three years in the forest, until the day Elsword and Eve found them. It was important...and Eve thus continued up the stairs, passing the room she shared with Elsword as the knight slept.

"Honey, do you think Eve is okay? She looked upset..."

"I'm sure she's fine, dear," Raven smiled at his wife, patting the Body of Light on the back

"Don't worry Mama, don't worry Daddy! Aunt Eve will probably be fine!" chirped Cedric.

The blond woman smiled at her husband and child, "You two are right. I'm sure she'll be fine, Elsword does always make sure she's not upset for long. They take really good care of each other, just like we three do."

"Right. I'm actually proud of Elsword," Raven nodded, "-he's really grown up well."

"I haven't known him long," Seris giggled, "-I still remember him mistaking me as Rena."

"Well, you do look like Rena. But I think you're more beautiful."

"Hurray! Mama and Daddy are being all gushy again!"

Smiling at their son, the pair went to the kitchen as Ara and Aisha each grabbed a piece of toast before flying out the door...quite literally. They were excited to get back to their adventures, and toast for each was a fair enough breakfast on days like this one. It was a strange day, the air full of a strange tight feeling that suggested strange things were bound to happen. No one feared it though, because this day rarely produced anything truly bad. Since Raven and Seris had the responsibility to cook for that day, not to mention take care of Cedric, it was their day to remain home. Chung and Elesis, once ready, were both out the door as well, a perfect team now that Elesis had accepted him. Her Spiky-Ear Pichu, Stay, was with them as well, making them a very...special...team within the El Gang. Elsword didn't rise yet, and his wife did not awaken him just yet. She was busy doing something she considered to be very important, and something she hoped would make her husband happy. It would not take her long, just a little work. Just a little time...

"So Lento and Ara really broke up?" Seris looked at her husband in wonder.

"Yeah. Apparently they kept arguing about which of them was stronger. Supposedly, her secret arts were starting to scare him too."

"What a wimp. Isn't he supposed to be the Knight of Feita. Come on!"

"Who knows? Maybe Ara is scarier than we think."

"I don't know, she's always nice to Ceddy. I think Cedric is even getting a little children's crush on her. I just think it's so adorable of him!"

Raven raised an eyebrow, then sighed, "Oh great, just what we need. Little Cedrics and Aras, not to mention Euns running around the house."

"He's only four! He could have a crush on the toaster and it would still be cute."

"Seris...crushes on toasters are not cute. Ever."

"I was kidding, dear."

"I know, dear."

The black haired man kissed her cheek, giving her a small hug as they explored the kitchen for dinner options while Cedric played with his dinosaur and the deactivated drones Eve always gave him. Since she often got upgrades over her Moby and Remy drones, the young one received all of the old, deactivated ones as toys. They were clearly small and everything so she figured it was fine, although Raven was nervous about it at first, it ended up being considered harmless. He was a darling child, his hair midnight black and neatly arranged, although a bit spiked like Raven's. His eyes shone emerald green like his mother's, and he had a heart of love, often wandering the house in assorted shorts and shirts. He was a tiny four year old, but he was definitely a happy and smart one. While Cedric remained playing school, army, and other random games with his small army of drones plus stuffed dinosaur, his parents continued their talk.

"So that means that Ara and Rena are the single ones now. Unless Aisha and Allegro...?"

"No, they didn't break up. They're still...something."

"Something?"

Raven struggled not to laugh, "Well I heard that Aisha tried to make him girly."

"Oh..."

"Yeah that didn't go well, and his pride is still sore at her. She's trying to make up for it now."

"Poor Allegro..."

"Very much so. Ariel was laughing so hard that she fell off that little post she stands on."

"Oh goodness! Poor dear!"

The sudden scream of 'Ah! Who are you and why are you in my room?' rang out of the upstairs hallways, quaking the walls a little. Surprised, Seris raised an eyebrow and glanced up at the ceiling, wondering why such a cry would belong to Elsword. Surely he knew everyone in the house, they had all lived here for a while now, the cry seemed to be a bit unnecessary out of context. What Raven and Seris did not know was that the knight had just been awakened by a small child that was barely the height of the bed, only slightly taller than Cedric. Long, spiky red hair with a single silver stripe in the middle of it adorned the kid's head, with eyes showing heterochromia with a red and gold eye, Elsword could only blink at the strange being in his room. Unphased, however, the feminine child simply stared on at the startled man...

"Ah...Elsword..." Eve's voice finally called as she stepped into the room slowly.

"Eve, be careful! We have an intru-"

"Elsword, that's a child. I...well, I built us a child. See? Now you have a kid, just like you wanted! I even used our DNA profiles from our hair to help."

"Wha...okay, first of all, you have DNA?"

"Well...sort of. Kind of computerized, but it is technically DNA."

"Alright...second of all...what?" He ended up sputtering, before breaking down into laughter.

Eve pondered his laughter as the child turned to look at her, "Mother, Father is acting strange."

"Well...he's laughing. Apparently something I said was funny..."

"I don't know what that means."

"I'll explain later."

"Okay Mother..."

"Pfff...!" Elsword rolled off the bed, his laughter continuing.

Back downstairs, in the kitchen, the parents just stared at the ceiling in confusion. What was even going on up there at all? First a scream from Elsword and now laughter, not to mention that loud thud. Sighing, the two decided on the meal to use, and then went to join their son in his current playful endeavors. Eve just stared on as Elsword laughed, the child she had built still standing there. Her hair was spiky and thick, into the triple ponytail style of the Rune Slayer Elsword was. The silver stripe in the middle of the hair thus colored a ponytail on its own, while the other two were red.

"Why are you laughing?" Eve called.

"You built a child! I cannot...!"

"How is that funny?"

"Only you Eve, only you would ever have that idea!"

Calming down, he sighed as he stood up and sat on the bed to look over at the small child, slowly reaching out to place his hand on her head. It was so strange, seeing Eve's face, his hair, and a perfect mixture of their colors. The ponytails were longer, about to the length of Eve's own hair, but she was clearly Elsword's as well. Even though such a precious child was pretty much robotic, it was interesting to understand that DNA had been involved with her in some complex manner that only Eve could ever process. But she was beautiful, and Elsword realized that he understood what Raven meant in saying his son was his second love. The child Eve had...built...for him, with all her love and good intent...it was amazing. It made Elsword laugh on the inside still, but at the same time he was simply in awe of the child. She was beautiful, as adorable as her mother, and definitely special in all of her tiny little self. He wondered what would come of this...but now he really understood that he could never hide feelings from Eve. No matter how hard he tried or how hard he attempted to cover it up, she would always figure out how he was feeling. Still, it was the same as him reading her feeling, so he did question how he hadn't figured she would notice. She was definitely the best wife he could ever want, and it made him thankful that he had her with him.

"So you noticed..."

"Noticed what?"

"That I did feel a little sad."

She nodded, "I did."

He chuckled, "Eve, you're the best wife I could ever ask for. What should we name her?"

"Hmm...we'll think of something..."

Smiling, he nodded to her before pressing his lips softly to hers. Embracing him and kissing back briefly before they embraced their child, Eve jumped when another scream erupted through the house. However, this one was different, as it was multiple consecutive cries...and it was downstairs, back where Raven and Seris were with their own child. Aisha, Ara, Elesis, and Chung were all crying out in a panic when they reentered the house, none of them even having been gone for more than an hour and a half. Eve picked up their child, running with Elsword towards the stairs as they listened to the assorted shouts of requested help.

"Raven, Seris, help!" screamed Aisha's voice.

"We found a strange child at Residential Area 3!" cried Ara.

"She had to be knocked out because she was being a brat!" yelled Elesis.

"I think it's important that we make sure she's okay!" called Chung.

The first to respond was Raven, a strange feeling boiling up in his mind...

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Review and enjoy! Some good stuff is coming up soon!<strong>

**I own the concept of Eve and Elsword's new 'built' child. **

**Any votes on a name? Let me know in your reviews!**


	2. Chapter 1: Bitterly Soulless

**Thank you everyone that submitted names for Elsword and Eve's child! **

**I will credit specifics at the chapter's end, as I wound up using all names submitted.**

**(Except for Apple. Since this name goes to an Epic NPC, I did not want to use it for this manner.)**

**This was done in a Main Name, Nickname, and Codename manner. **

**You will all understand after the chapter is done!**

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
><strong>

**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**My boyfriend and I also own the "mystery child" that appeared last chapter, and is finally discussed in this chapter.**

**Speaking of my boyfriend, check out his stories! He is called _The Lost Son of Gaia_ on here, and would definitely appreciate readers!**

**(His Elsword stories are a treat, please don't miss out.)**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

* * *

><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Chapter 1: Bitterly Soulless**

_'Her heart is shattered by the images she'll never forget; the skeletons that stole her innocence...'_

Ara just blinked when Raven removed the child from her arms. He had a stern face, one that clearly showed that Cedric had fully crafted the man's parental instincts. Even Elesis and Chung knew for sure that they weren't ready to become parental, they hadn't even married yet. Honestly, how could they become parental when they were still in the process of dating? Raven glanced over the child, frowning slightly in confusion. Why...he felt like she familiar, like he had held her before. Her hair was long and dark purple, nearly to the floor. It was clearly unkempt, as was she as her pale skin shone with scars, cuts, and bruises. A small knot on the back of her head proved Elesis' point that the girl had been knocked out, whilst the household Pichu whined from her owner's shoulder. Seris had gathered Cedric and was approaching Raven, who carried the child to a couch, and placed her there. Slowly, the blond woman set their son by the girl and looked to Elesis while her husband tried to make the unconscious child comfortable.

"You said she was acting like a brat?" Seris raised an eyebrow.

"She kept screaming at us that she hated us, and didn't want us anywhere near her," Elesis sighed, "-we were just trying to find out if she was okay."

"She literally slapped me in the face," Chung added, rubbing his cheek slightly.

"Yeah! He was just trying to help. So I finally had to hit her in the back of the head with my wand," continued Aisha, frowning a bit.

"I was in my Eun state so I had to wait before I could go make sure everyone was okay," Ara bowed sadly, "-we were afraid I'd scare her more. So I had to carry her here instead."

Seris frowned a bit as Eve and Elsword walked in, with the nasod still carrying the child she had built. Aisha blinked at the strange child in Eve's arms, before nudging Elesis, Chung, and Ara to make sure she wasn't seeing things. With surprised looks developing on all of them, Raven turned to the sight next while his wife continued trying to make the mysterious arrival comfortable. The child picked up on everyone's confusion as Elsword once again broke down laughing, very nearly falling on the floor as Eve looked at him softly. She chuckled too, amused at the complete confusion she had caused her friends at this instance with the new child that she hadn't announced was incoming. In fact, given that no one had met the small human-robot hybrid that Eve had developed, absolutely no one understood what had happened.

"Who...is that...?" Aisha inquired, raising an eyebrow at Elsword's laughter.

"She...looks like...wait, was Eve pregnant?" cried Ara.

"She can't get pregnant, she told me so!" protested Elesis, pouting slightly at the notion.

"Well then...yeah okay, seriously who is she?" Chung tilted his head.

"I'm going to guess this is why I heard Elsword screaming and then laughing earlier..." Raven muttered softly, nudging Seris to get her to look up.

"Eh...?" Seris murmured, confused as well.

"My amazing wife literally _**built **_me a child today," Elsword sputtered in laughter, falling to his knees and holding his stomach as he continued.

"He thinks its hilarious," Eve explained, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Hello..." the small child greeted, "-nice to meet all of you. My title is Code: Future Hope. I am a humanoid built with robot parts and special processes with DNA instructions from a human as well as nasod coding. I am therefore a human-nasod hybrid."

Eve nodded, "She even has a beating heart."

"How did you manage that?" Elsword replied, looking up from where he was, surprised.

"I have my ways," the nasod queen nodded softly, quite proud.

"Alright then..." Raven sighed, "-we have...Code: Future Hope...and an unidentified child."

Elsword and Eve raised their eyebrows at the sleeping child, while she set down the other one, letting the girl wander towards the other one. Cedric was poking lightly at the unconscious one's face, while everyone watched the newest child in motion. Her body was that of maybe a six year old, about two years over Cedric, but she was not much taller than him. Noting his behavior with poking the sleeping girl, she proceeded to poke his face. This put smiles on the group's faces as Elsword stood back up, putting an arm around Eve gently, hugging the woman close to him as he pecked her cheek. Meanwhile, everyone took the time to introduce themselves to the new child one by one; including Cedric. Then an issue arose...

"So...can we call you something besides Code: Future Hope?" Ara inquired.

"Mother and Father have not established my non-codename as of yet," She answered softly.

Eve tapped her chin, thinking, "Mira? For miracle?"

"Hmm..." Elsword thought about it, "-or Elsa? Sel? Selelsa? I like Mira though..."

"I like Elsa though..." Elesis pouted slightly.

"Sel sounds nice," Chung responded.

"Selelsa is pretty," Aisha chimed.

Eve rolled her eyes, "What if we name her Mira and then everyone uses those as nicknames?"

"Those are my names?" The new child looked around at everyone.

"They are," Elsword smiled at her, his expression softening even more when she hugged him.

"Good! I have names!" cheered Mira.

Eve smiled lightly, giggling a bit as everyone agreed to the circumstances of the idea. The joy was short though when the other child awakened, sitting up quickly with a cry of 'Get away from me!' and slapping Cedric away from her. The small boy screamed when he hit the floor, Seris immediately running to him as Raven whirled around towards the girl and the remainder of the ElGang gasped in horror when Cedric began to cry. Seris gathered him in her arms, glaring over at the new arrival.

"Hey, calm down! There's no need to hit children!" cried Aisha.

"That was my son. You best have a good reason for slapping him," Raven murmured darkly.

"He was near me," she snarled angrily, "-that is plenty reason!"

"It's no reason at all!" protested Ara.

Seris rose quickly, her hand drawn back slightly, although Raven stopped her quickly in midair.

"Love, take care of Cedric. We can't hurt her, she already got hit in the head by Aisha..."

Reluctantly, Seris revoked her once-incoming action, and quickly went back to her tearful son. Mira ran to help Seris and Cedric, with whatever good she could do as Eve and Elsword laid eyes on the child who was now being restrained by Elesis holding her arms. Although, the small purple child was kicking and screaming at the Blazing Heart while Chung exhaled carefully, trying to make any sense of the girl's shouts.

"I hate you all! All of you! Release me! You have no right to hold me! How dare you? No one held the evil man that murdered my family back! No one! I haven't killed anyone!" she screamed.

"Quiet!" called Raven, his voice resounding, "I can't think in all of your yelling!"

Winding herself like a spring, she stretched herself enough from Elesis' restraining hold on her to literally kick the man in the face, Raven himself stumbling back in surprise. The entire group called to him in concern, watching as he wiped a little blood from his lip; Seris rushing up to clean it with her handkerchief while Mira tried to comfort the son of the house. No one quite understood how they would ever get past the fact that blood had been drawn from Raven by a small girl kicking him in the face. He didn't seem all that surprised though as the cries from Cedric began to ease out slowly. He was calming down, thanks to Mira as Seris returned.

"It's alright Ceddy..." Seris whispered, kneeling down beside them.

"It'll be okay. I won't let the scary one hit you again..." Mira nodded, her arms around the boy.

"Why does she have so much anger...? I mean, I get that people got murdered or something, but this is ridiculous..." grumbled Elesis grudingly.

"What is wrong with you!" exclaimed Elsword, tossing his arms into the air out of frustration.

"I think we should be more concerned that she actually drew blood from Raven..." Eve murmured, carefully pulling her husband's arms down from the air.

"I'm fine..." Raven huffed, "-what's your name?"

"Like I would tell you!"

"You don't have one do you?" He responded, raising an eyebrow.

For the first time since waking up, the girl fell silent before slowly shaking her head.

"I'll name you then. I'll think of something. You said your family got murdered right? I lost a lot of things I held dear, a very long time ago. I even, for three years, lost the woman I loved most."

"Don't act like you care about me! Don't even name me! I hate all of you, but especially you two!" She pointed at him and Eve, poison practically in her voice, "I detest all of you, I wish you all were dead!"

"Me?" Eve gasped in surprise, Elsword raising an eyebrow in confusion at the pointing finger.

"I think you need to learn some respect," Seris murmured, her swords beginning to glow white in reply to her abilities, "-you injured my son! Leave my husband alone! You need some love, and some respect! Too much hatred, that's quite enough of it!"

"Love? It doesn't exist! It never has!"

"It does! I'd swear to it until my final breath was taken!" cried Eve immediately.

Aside from the girl's dark, cold laughter, the room was silent. Elsword smiled proudly at his wife, the group marveling in hearing Eve say something they never thought she would ever say when they first met her. She had really grown...and they all knew she would credit Elsword if asked. From the nasod that swore she had no feelings, that she didn't need friends, and definitely swore that she didn't want to be loved...she had become the one to immediately scream that it existed. Despite her battle with her own code, with her own race's emotional inhibitions, and her own flaws, the queen now knew what love was.

"It exists," the queen nasod repeated herself.

"It doesn't! And I won't be subjected to hearing such preaching from any of you! Only betrayal, abandonment, death, and loneliness. That's it. Love doesn't exist, it never will!"

Elesis muttered under her breath, still holding the child back to prevent any harm from coming to anyone. But everyone glanced over to Cedric when they heard Mira call his name. By the time they did though, the small boy had already walked back to the couch, and climbed it. Slowly then, with a gentle smile on his face, he just hugged the girl. He embraced the very reason he had a small bruise on his tiny arm now...the reason he had a bump on his head...and the reason his body was rather sore. Even though she fervently felt fury for the entire group, and had clearly said so. The child's innocence and love was unending, his mother gasping softly as Raven wound up closing his eyes with a chuckle. After all, the man knew his son was perfectly safe with everyone present and alert now.

"I'm sorry I scared you...I just want to be your friend..."

Mira blinked, then ran over too, hugging both children, "I want to be friends too!"

"Get off of me! Get off me, now!" screamed the girl, struggling more.

"Alma," Raven nodded suddenly.

At the sudden, random insertion, the entire room looked over at the standing man who had spoken. His claw was as always, but there was a strange look in his eyes; a look of recognition for whatever reason. The black haired man looked right at the girl, who scowled at him with fury in her reddish-colored eyes as the two children hugged her. It was infuriating for her, she couldn't stand this ridiculousness! Why was she being named? Why weren't they hurting her, and just restraining her? She didn't even understand, but she only felt angrier. There was this wish to just annihilate every single one of them, especially these two hugging her so tightly.

"Your name is Alma. I'm naming you, and we're all adopting you. Particularly Seris and I."

"What?" Elsword gaped.

"She kind of hates us all, you know..." Eve raised her eyebrow.

"Hurray, a friend!" squealed Mira and Cedric in unison.

"Huh?" Ara looked up.

"Say that again?" Aisha replied.

"Yeah...I'm not feeling fatherly..." Chung glanced slightly to Elesis.

"That's definitely not happening!" protested the Blazing Heart immediately.

"Never! Not in a million years!" screamed Alma in dismay.

Seris just looked at Raven, her eyes careful as she searched his face. But she understood, and she would never protest. She believed in his decision, and if he felt that they could raise this unruly one, then she would never go against him. After knowing him and being his sweetheart for so very long, the blond had learned to never doubt him. She stood up, her wavy and slightly curled blond hair flowing long down her body as she came fully to his height on her own, her green eyes twinkled as she nodded to him. Her gesture earned her a smile and nod back from him, as he walked closer to her, standing by her side as they looked at everyone else.

"I'm on your side dear. Promise," Seris nodded, complete faith in her husband.

"Thank you dear," He replied softly.

"This is an outrage!" screamed Alma in fury.

Suddenly, the door opened again to reveal the blond elven girl in the group. Except, she had a strange basket in her arms while looking around at everyone in confusion.

"I'm home! Ah...what did I miss...?"

Alma let out a loud, rumbling growl, and Rena glanced over at her. She then murmured something under her breath, and then huffed loudly.

"Alright, come on guys. I wasn't gone that long, why are you people popping out children in the wake of a single woman? None of you were pregnant last I saw!" Rena pouted at them.

"Pregnancy lasts nine months, Rena. You were gone for less than a day..." Chung tried to point out.

"For the record," Eve chimed a bit, raising her hand, "-I did build mine."

"Yeah and the rabid growling nutcase is a child those four dragged home from Residential Area 3," Elsword added.

"Elsword, be nice-" Raven tried.

"You don't know anything! Don't refer to me like some object!" screamed the child.

Rena cringed, holding her ears and letting out a huff as she shook her head, her blond ponytail whisking side to side as she held tightly to the basket she seemed to be also trying to protect.

"I swear you guys...why do you always get into trouble when I'm gone?"

"We get into trouble even when you are here!" quipped Aisha.

"Ah...what's in the basket?" Elsword attempted to change topics.

"Just my new baby brother!"

There was a small pause in everyone's thought processes, although Alma continued to struggle fiercely, followed by...

"...what!"

* * *

><p>The name <strong>Sel <strong>came from **Kyuunii **(Used as nickname)

The name **Elsa **came from **Kamichi77 **(Used as nickname)

The name **Hope **came from **LucasTheCookie **(Used as portion of the codename)

The name **Mira **came from **XceLsisDeo **(Used as main given name)

**Mira, derived from Miracle, simply fit the best from what I had at heart for her since the child was a miracle built for Elsword as the reviewer noted. Hope was a close second, but I didn't want to abandon the nice suggestions outside of those. Apple is nice too, I admit! But as an existing NPC name, I did not want that route.**

**The name given to the other child, Alma, is the Spanish word for "Soul" (Enjoy your trivia for the day!)**

**I hope everyone enjoyed, and will review!**

**See you all next time!**


	3. Chapter 2: Pacts and Promises

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
><strong>

**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**My boyfriend and I also own the "mystery child" that appeared last chapter, and is finally discussed in this chapter.**

**Speaking of my boyfriend, check out his stories! He is called _The Lost Son of Gaia_ on here, and would definitely appreciate readers!**

**(His Elsword stories are a treat, please don't miss out.)**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

* * *

><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Chapter 2: Pacts and Promises**

_'Family eases away the suffering of the past...even if not by blood...'_

By the next day, everything had come clear as to situations. Rena had been charged with the care of her newborn baby brother, Tyrell, for an undetermined amount of time by her busy parents. The boy was barely a week old already, with tiny little blond hairs in his head and light blue eyes. He was super small, with cute elf ears, and he was fully under Rena's capable care. However, she was having to devise a plan for doing her work across Elrios while taking care of him now. Aisha and Ara had already volunteered to help her though, so there wasn't likely to be many problems. At least...not yet. Eve had put together battle memories and systems for Mira, leaving the girl with an understanding of the sword like her father and of the use of machinery like her mother. This would allow her to travel with them and assist her parents in their battles to help the world in which they lived. Since Cedric was still young as well as unable to fight however, Elsword and Eve were still planning to rotate with his parents as they had already been doing. Seris and Raven were continuing their processes in raising their son, but they had a new responsibility in a very angry child newly named Alma now. The fierce and brooding child still refused to sleep with her 'new parents' seeing as she did not accept them, so despite many protests...the young one had the couch. She was still in rebellion on them, so she was still restricted, and therefore was currently sleeping in a locked living room every night; the ElGang didn't want to release her to a situation where she could be dangerous...or endangered herself. This was something that still worried Raven however...

_**Today was his day home with Seris, Cedric, and Alma while everyone was away...**_

"Are we eating with Alma again, love?" Seris inquired softly.

He nodded, "Yeah, we are. Hopefully we get somewhere today."

The woman frowned slightly, then looked at him, "Ah, Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind...if I ate alone with her today?"

His eyes widened and he looked at her, "Wha-?"

"I want to see if I can get through to her. And I...want to do this alone..."

Raven was shocked, but he slowly nodded, "Okay Seris. I believe in you then. I'll watch Cedric when he wakes up, alright?"

"Thank you..." She carefully finished making breakfast, nodding to him.

Softly, she handed him a plate, made one for her sleeping son, put one together for Alma, and then kissed his cheek before heading down the hall to where the locked living room was. The man couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she was. Not just because she was tall and endowed, but because she was absolutely majestic. The brightness of her white skin, the kindness of her golden heart, the gentleness of her emerald eyes, and the light within the love she had for so many people around her. God, he really loved her, he really loved his Seris. As he watched her go, listening to her open the door with her key, he heard Cedric come walking in, and gently got the boy around to breakfast. Somewhere inside, he had a deep feeling that his wife would make some sort of progress with Alma.

"Hey, Chung?" Elesis inquired.

"Yeah...?" he slowly replied, still staring at the water.

The pair were resting for a moment at Chung's hometown of Hamel, while the other girls were still helping the Velder area, and Mira was being trained by her parents in the Feita area. The redhaired woman could tell the young man was perturbed as he sat with his girlfriend there by the fountain. She reached out softly, her hands warm as they settled on his face, gently holding his cheeks as she smiled comfortingly at him while making him look at her.

"Chung...don't be sad. I promise to help you find your father...I swear.."

He managed a small smile, softly resting his face onto her shoulder, "Thanks Elesis..."

She smiled softly, gently patting his head as he hid his face in her shoulder. She vowed to help him, somehow. It was the only way she could repay him for all he had already done for her in their short time of dating. He nodded thankfully, resting against her as she wrapped her arms around her, listening now as he calmly told old anecdotes of his father and him. It was important to him, and the Blazing Heart refused to miss out on it. This person was very special in many ways, and he had been the one to show her the blue sky in place of the crimson one she had once faced. Softly, she hummed a soothing tune to him, letting him release his concerns and sorrows of his father to her. Stay, the Pichu, remained close to her owners, letting out tiny sounds now and then.

"Mira, be careful! Don't lose control of the sword!"

Struggling, the child was followed by her own small drones as she swung her sword at enemies. It was smaller, and more katana-like than anything, but she was still having difficulty with it for now. Backed up by Elsword and Eve however, as well as her own drones, the parents were ensuring that no harm came to their daughter. Since she had the ability to create like her mother did, the young child had made a pair of pink and black drones to help her named Liri and Kiri. Her blade, crafted by Hanna in Velder, was a sword that the girl had named Starshine Future for the gold and silver coloring. The two metals had been mixed with steel and mithril to craft such a sword, before Hanna had happily wrapped a pink ribbon around the handle for Alma. It wasn't too heavy a sword due to how it had been made, but it was strong, and it was something for Mira to learn.

"Liri! Kiri! Stay right there until I stop moving!"  
>Turning, Mira stabbed her sword into the ground, gripping it as she then swung her body around to kick an enemy nearby. This doubled to stop Mira in place, which her drones rejoined her afterward as her parents rushed after her. They were amazed at the tactic, but it was obvious she had lots to learn about her combat styles. Still, that motion could come in handy in battle, and her parents definitely had faith in her developing abilities.<p>

"Nice job Mira!" Elsword called, "You definitely have a lot to learn though."

"You did good. Let's keep working on it," Eve nodded.

"Thanks Mother, thanks Father. Please continue to help me get stronger."

"We promise to," Elsword and Eve agreed softly.

Over in Velder, Aisha was cradling Rena's brother while waiting for Ara and said elf to get back from another run of Residential Area 3, which they hoped would possibly yield some hints of who or what Alma was. The pair was not having much luck though as they explored the alleyway where they had found her, and continued to fight off enemies while they did. The creatures here were unforgiving! Asiha, meanwhile, decided to talk to some of the other people in Velder about Alma, but none of them knew anything of her. Many families had been lost in different situations, so it was hard for anything to pinpoint her origins...or the origin of her severe hatred. So Aisha remained with the baby in Velder, waiting for her friends to return...

"You're weird," Alma grumbled pointedly.

"Me? Why am I weird?" Seris inquired.

"Why are you nice to everyone? You're even being nice to me, and you know I hate your," She did air quotes, "-husband. And your friends. And you!"

"I don't think you mean that," The woman responded calmly, "-I don't think you actually hate any of us. You probably don't even have a reason on your head."

"I-" The girl stopped, staring wide eyed.

"You don't hate any of us. You're just scared."

"You're wrong! I do hate all of you!" She cried, clenching her fists.

"Okay. Why?"

"Because you...you all are trying to save the world..." She looked away, "-but no one saved me or my family. Why should I be nice to any of you? I have nothing left anymore!"

"You have Raven and I. He's been worried about you, after all."

She laughed bitterly, "Yeah, and?"

"We do want to take care of you. Give you a family again."

Alma shook her head, the answer not good enough, "Why? I'm the child that hates you all."

"That doesn't mean you don't deserve a family!" protested Seris, before sighing softly, "You deserve a family as much as any of us, Alma. Not to mention, you seem to be more alike to my husband than you may understand. I believe that's why he's trying to help you too, because he sees a little of himself."

Alma frowned a little, starting to see how unfair she was being now, "I'm...like him?"

"Yeah. You know, Raven lost just about everything he cared about in an instant because a jealous friend of ours framed him. He lost his important status and...for three years, he even lost me. I risked my life to rescue him, and was nearly killed; while he was taken and placed under evil control. He was forced to murder and destroy the town he had loved, Alma," Seris closed her eyes, "-and I know that made him angrier than anything."

The small child bit her lip, trying to process, "I see...so he is...like me..."

Seris nodded, "I promise Alma...none of us here will hurt you. We promise to give you love and a family again."

Young Alma didn't seem to know what to do with this information, but she stood up quietly with slightly dull eyes. Seris watched her quietly, quite concerned for the small child that was now in motion. The small girl's dark hair flowed long, almost black if not for the lighting revealing the purple tinting. Quickly, in her concern, the woman called out to the young girl...

"Alma, are you okay?"

_**"**__**Set a blaze**__** tonight**_

_** To burn away the bleeding memory**_

_** Let's light a fire in this darkness**_

_** Build the torched ash to the sky**_

_** Ablaze the wrongs done in the pitch black..."**_

Seris blinked, surprised at the lyrics the girl had sung for sure. They were dark lyrics after all. However, something else was bothering her. First of all, the girl was ignoring her now, and her rust-colored eyes seemed entranced. However, it was worse when she sang, because Seris noticed that the toning sounded like there was _two _voices within it. Alma's was a dark, deep, and cold, nearly cruel voice when it sang...but it still sounded feminine to a point. The other was deeper...and one that sounded manly. That wasn't the only problem though, Seris realized. In fact, this wouldn't have frightened her so badly if that deeper, manly voice had not sounded so familiar. She began wondering if maybe she had heard it wrong, and maybe it didn't sound familiar at all. There was no way after all, right?

Because it sounded like _**Raven**_...

* * *

><p><strong>I own the lyric Alma sings. To my knowledge, no song goes like that...if one does, please tell me, and understand that I did not know.<strong>

**So a voice sounded like Raven, hmm?**

**What do you guys think?**

**Review and enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 3: Fatal Chime's Duality

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
><strong>

**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**My boyfriend and I also own the "mystery child" that appeared last chapter, and is finally discussed in this chapter.**

**Speaking of my boyfriend, check out his stories! He is called _The Lost Son of Gaia_ on here, and would definitely appreciate readers!**

**(His Elsword stories are a treat, please don't miss out.)**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

* * *

><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Chapter 3: Fatal Chime's Duality**

_'What, you thought that part of you would just go away? Of course not. Stop me. Torch me to oblivion.'_

"_**End my foolish paralysis**_

_**Devour the wrongs of every sinner's heart**_

_**Blaze the ones who never cared**_

_**Stack the remains to the highest**_

_**And burn it all, burn it all... **_

_**Burn it all to the ground..."**_

It was as the song continued that it began to occur to Seris that something was terribly wrong. She didn't move though, she in fact held no fear for the entranced child that was singing. She sat where she had been this whole time, watching the child sing. Listening at the dual intonation of the girl's voice and the manlike one that sounded way too much like Raven. Why were there two voices? The blond had even looked around, but Raven had never came in. He wasn't even nearby the room. She didn't understand, and so as she sat to listen, she also tried to think of an explanation. All the woman wanted to do was hug the girl and give her the family she deserved...the family she needed. What could be causing this? Why were there two voices in one girl? She tried to think...of anything she knew...

"_Hey, Seris?"_

"_Yeah Raven?"_

"_Thank you..."_

"_Huh? For what?"_

"_For being both the fire in my heart...and the one to tame it."_

"_You're welcome. Thank you for loving me."_

"_I'll never stop. Not even in the worst of fires..."_

_So long ago...but he had never stopped..._

The rest of the group met Elsword, Eve, and Mira at Feita when the time to return to their home in the Ruben outskirts had come. Mira had made impressive progress during the remainder of the day, but was now exhausted and asleep in her father's arms. Eve smiled on at the sight, glowing with ultimate pride as she walked alongside him. Rena's brother was giggling along the way, delighted as he played with his sister's face with the cutest grin on his own. Aisha was sticking behind in Feita for a bit, as it was a date night for her and Allegro. That left Ara, Rena, Elsword, Eve, Elesis, and Chung all headed for home with the respective child additions. They had no idea that strange events were already brewing in their home for the evening. Sure, Raven was hard at work at dinner, but he would surely hear the events soon. Something was coming to surface, and while she wasn't sure what it was...Seris herself was sure it was not a good thing. She was sure that Raven's voice was not supposed to be faintly mixing in underneath the girl's voice as she sang this haunting, senseless tune under whatever entrancement she was under.

"What do you think Raven made for dinner?" asked Rena, "Do we have anything babies can eat?"

"Eh, who knows what he made? But seriously Rena, you're going to have to go get baby formula. Do any of us look like babies to you?" Elsword inquired.

"Baby elves are usually fed salad and figgy pudding..." the elf responded.

"What! You can't be serious!" Ara exclaimed.

"I always just fed Elsword my world famous stew," Elesis shrugged.

"World famous my foot. I thought my stomach fell out of my body..."

"That just means you had a filling meal!"

"No, it means you almost killed me!"

"Well, no one has to die anymore. Let's calm down," Eve stated softly.

"Speaking of calming down, does anyone think that girl is ever going to?" Chung wondered.

"Doubt it," Rena sighed.

"I think she might..." Ara murmured, "-especially with Seris working with Raven on her."

"Well, I guess if Seris can save Raven from himself, she might save that kid from herself," Elesis responded, "-I mean...even I was able to see a better sky, right?"

"And even I was able to shed a darker code," Eve added.

"Even you learned how to love," Elsword smiled.

She nodded, "Even I learned how to love."

"If Eve learned to love, everyone's battle to love may as well be over," Chung laughed softly.

"Alright, alright! I get it!" Eve chuckled with a false complaint.

Elsword smiled at her, still holding their precious daughter close to him as he walked with them to find a good place to use a Cobo Transport service to get home. It was always good to go home after a long day, and everyone had worked extremely hard. Even his daughter had done her very best to become better and stronger today. Rena had done some bonding, Aisha was having a date night, Ara was in good spirits, Chung and Elesis were doing alright, and they were doing well altogether. It was time to get back home, and have some dinner.

"_**To torment my existing lies**_

_**For the heart I've never had**_

_**Shred the wrongs of end**_

_**You cannot save me now**_

_**Set an inferno tonight**_

_**Torch me to oblivion**_

_**So that I may never induce**_

_**This harm on anyone else..."**_

"Raven..." Seris called to the child, her green eyes dimming, "Raven, is that you? I don't understand..."

"I'm right here, what's wrong?"

"Ah!"

Seris jumped slightly, turning to look at Raven as the man entered the room now. He raised a confused eyebrow now, wondering what was wrong with his wife, and why the child was in the corner staring blankly into thin space. Her green eyes were wide as she stared at him, while Alma's eyes were rust red as she turned to face the newly entered man. Her eyes were still blank and soulless, devoid of existing life or animation. It worsened when she smiled a crooked smirk...and when Seris sunk to her knees bursting into tears before her husband. Her hands held her head as she cried, except a scream escaped her too, and her howling wail left her without warning. She felt her heart racing, her head beginning to ache terribly as she tried to gasp for air she felt like she didn't have. It was a horrifying feeling, and it was here that she realized she was starting to panic. Gripping her dress in front of her chest, she struggled to calm down. Everything going on...she was so confused. She didn't know what to do about any of this.

"Raven...!"

"Seris, what's wrong? Seris!" he cried to her.

"Something...something isn't right..." his wife managed.

_**"Shred the wrongs of end**_

_** You cannot save me now**_

_** Set an inferno tonight**_

_** Torch me to oblivion**_

_** Set a blaze tonight**_

_** To burn away the bleeding memory**_

_** Let's light a fire in this darkness**_

_** Build the torched ash to the sky**_

_** Ablaze the wrongs done in the pitch black..."**_

It was an echo under her cruel voice...the second voice faint but existing. It was a frightful effect...especially to those that knew that secondary tone... Without warning, as her husband remained in shock, Seris could do nothing further but to fall fully unconscious. Her long locks fluttered out around her body, whisking around her like a blanket of protection.

"What..." Raven gasped, also hearing the second voice within the girl, "-why is my...?"

"Wow..." Alma's voice called, the second one still audible as she spoke, "...you thought that side just left without a trace? Of course not..."

"Alma! Alma, are you there? Where are you?" He yelled to her, abraded at the situation now.

"Forget me..."

The words left her, within only her voice, before her body dropped into her mind's state of unconsciousness. Raven's eyes remained wide, staring now at the two on the floor, and trying to figure out what had just happened. Slowly, he carefully walked to where they were, collecting both of them in his arms. Walking to the room he and Seris shared, he rested them onto the bed. Cedric was already asleep there, at which he whimpered and wriggled in his sleep, curling close to Alma and Seris. Softly, Raven put a blanket over all three and sighed slowly, his gold eyes worried.

"You cannot save me now...set an inferno tonight...torch me to oblivion..." Raven muttered the peculiar lyrics, then shook his head, "-never, that's not happening. There was a time where I believed that I could not be saved...I will not apply such a concept to life again."

He left the room carefully, going back to the kitchen to make sure all of the dinner was set out. He divided out four plates, softly taking each to his room, before leaving a note for the others. Getting back, he buckled down to watch the other three sleep, leaving their plates aside. Cedric was just napping, he knew that much, but the other two had fainted under mysterious conditions. All of this nonsense now had him fully concerned, and very much confused. What was this? Alma had her voice and his own mixed in her? Why...why would that happened? Why did she suddenly start singing such a song? What had triggered all of this...?

"Whatever is going on...I'll figure it out. I vow that..."


	5. Chapter 4: Love of the Miracles

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
><strong>

**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**My boyfriend and I also own the "mystery child" that appeared last chapter, and is finally discussed in this chapter.**

**Speaking of my boyfriend, check out his stories! He is called _The Lost Son of Gaia_ on here, and would definitely appreciate readers!**

**(His Elsword stories are a treat, please don't miss out.)**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

* * *

><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Chapter 4: Love of the Miracles**

"_There's always a bond between little miracles, sometimes the truest love is shown by innocence."_

"Hey...are you okay? Friend, wake up!"

"Wha...Miss Mira...?"

"Oh good...you woke up..."

"Why are you surprised?"

"Well...I'll tell you in a moment...can you see if Alma will get up?"

"Fine..."

Cedric pouted at Mira, rubbing his eyes and beginning to look around. The scene around him was very unusual though, because his father was sleeping by sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. He had four plates of food around him, although three of the four were completely untouched. His mother was sleeping next to him, but she didn't seem to be moving at all. Come to think of it, neither did his father, and they usually responded to noise. Or at least, they usually had a motion in their chests that showed breathing. On his other side, Cedric found Alma, who was indeed breathing. He began shaking her wildly, calling out to her as the child began to worry about what was going on with his parents. The general environment of the house felt strange, and he wanted to know why. For now though, he had to wake up Alma.

"Alma! Hey, wake up!"

"Don't touch me!" The girl responded with a scream, recoiling from Cedric and pushing him away from her slightly.

"Sorry..." Cedric sighed sheepishly.

"This isn't the time to complain. Something is wrong, time is completely frozen except for us. I even checked outside, but nothing is moving; person, creature, or animal," Mira stated quickly.

"What?" Cedric blinked, "H-How is that possible...?"

"It's not," Alma huffed, "-time doesn't just freeze."

"Alma, my mother got up out of sleep mode and was in the middle of stretching when she just stopped. At the exact same that the motion of my father's sleepy breathing stopped. So do you want to tell me it's not possible again?" the child glared at her.

Cedric looked around at his two parents, "And my parents are stuck too; something is wrong..."

Alma huffed, crawling out of the bed as a loud cry erupted throughout the house. It was a baby's wailing cry, thus signaling that Rena's little brother was also not frozen in time like the rest. Mira reacted to the sound, quickly ordering the other two to stay put before she ran away to go find the young boy. As she left, the young boy also made his way out of bed, rubbing his eyes, and pondering everyone. There was the new child, looking angry as ever, and then his parents...just remaining there, stuck. It worried him deeply, more than most things, and he even managed to soak in that this was the way everyone else was. Aside from them...

"Why are you always so happy?"

"Huh?" Cedric looked at the girl beside him, "What reason do I have to be unhappy? I have a wonderful pair of parents, and many wonderful friends."

Alma clenched her hands a bit, "Why...does everyone...have their family...?"

"My Aunt Eve doesn't have her family. But you don't understand Miss Alma...almost no one here has their original family...my mama told me about it. That's why we _are _a family, all of us together. Daddy, Mama, me, and you...we're a sub-family. Aunt Eve and Uncle Elsword with Miss Mira...that's another sub-family. That means we are families within a family, and we all care about each other very much. We all even care about you! I care about you too Miss Alma. It's important to realize that we all want to be here for you..."

Alma frowned then, "You don't understand...you don't understand! Your father was the one that took my family away in the first place! Why should I forgive him?"

"Because my Daddy wasn't in his right mind," Cedric glared at the child, "-he already told me his story. Uncle Elsword helped tell his story, Mama helped tell his story. Everyone has a story Miss Alma, and not all of them are good happy stories. My Daddy can't fix what he did, but he's trying to help you! He's trying to give you a family again!"

"Exactly," Came a voice.

Mira had returned, cradling the eased child in her arms, "Tyrell has been calmed. Alma, you must calm down too, as should you Cedric. We need to figure out what's going on with everyone."

Alma, however, had already stopped. She was staring at something now, her eyes wide as Cedric nodded slowly to Mira. The small child of the Rune Slayer and Code: Nemesis was doing her best to keep the baby allayed, as he was only mere months old. Slowly, Alma broke her stare with the window, just in time for Mira to start speaking again.

"So everyone is stopped but us. How old are all of us? I believe Rena said that Tyrell was only a few months. I am mere days, with the functional body of approximately seven years old. What of you two?" Mira inquired.

"I'm four years old," Cedric responded softly.

"Six," Alma muttered lightly.

"I see," Mira nodded, "-I have found all of the other people of the household. Aisha is in the kitchen, she appears to have had just gotten home when this started. My parents are in their room, and Cedric's parents are here. Ara and Rena are frozen mid-walk in the hallway, while Chung and Elesis appear to have been just into the doorway of their shared room. Her little Pichu thing is also stuck mid motion with her."

"Great," Alma grunted, "-what do we do now?"

"We have to do something! We have to save our family..." Cedric murmured.

"Yes. This big, mixed, excited, and precious family of ours. Do either of you fight?" Mira asked.

"No...Mama and Daddy say I'm too young..." the boy chimed.

Alma wasn't responding or paying attention again, because she was looking at the backs of her hands, her fingers spread, and her eyes wide as her face contorted with horror. She immediately began trying to hide her hands against her dress and whimpered in some form of frustration.

"Alma! Do you fight?" called Mira.

"N-No...no I don't..." the suddenly timid girl responded.

"What's wrong now?" Cedric asked.

"Nothing! Nothing..." Alma stepped back, trying to get away from the other two.

Cedric shook his head, running up to her and tackling her frontward, like he normally did to hug his mother or father. Except this time, he made sure Alma hit the floor, before prying her hands from her chest, and gasping in shock at what he saw. Her fingertips...they were caked in dried blood, around where her fingernails should have been. Normally, she wore little white bandages around each fingertip, and no one had ever noticed it. However, they were missing now, and showing her hands for the damages they had.

"What..." Cedric blinked.

"Her fingernails are missing. They appear to have been ripped out forcibly," Mira stated.

"Miss Alma..."

She shoved both, "Get away from me! Don't look at them!"

"What happened to them?" cried the young boy.

"It's not your business!"

"Just tell us!" yelled Mira, "They look sore! They might even be infected, the injury is clearly aged! How long have they been like this?"

"A couple of months...a few people in the Residential Area were tortured by the demons. They tore my fingernails out...now leave them alone!"

"Alma, you should get those cleaned!" Mira exclaimed, Tyrell beginning to cry in her arms.

"Shut up! What do you know?"

Before Alma could receive any comeback, Mira turned slightly at the sound of a strange pitch. She thought the others might have heard it, but she realized that neither had when Cedric shot back to Alma that she deserved to be taken care of, at which previous girl protested that she was a horrible girl that should not be loved. This had stunned Cedric enough that he barely noticed when Mira launched herself at him, slamming to his side while screaming for them all to watch out. The boy let out a scream as a searingly loud implosion was heard. Alma shrieked in fear too, Tyrell wailing loudly, as Cedric managed to struggle enough under Mira to see that a gigantic and black golem had broke through the wall of the room. Debris from the walls and partials of the roof had already slammed down onto the entire floor, Mira making a human shield over Cedric at the expense of now having a sharper board partially stabbed into her back.

"Mira!" cried Cedric, "Are you okay?"

"I am injured. But you're fine...and that counts the most right now..."

"What? No it doesn't! I don't count more than anyone!"

"Ugh..." Alma groaned, crawling from under the wreckage.

"I'm sorry...Alma. I couldn't reach both of you..."

"It doesn't matter. I wish that wreckage had killed me."

"Don't say that!" screamed Cedric, "Why must you say that? It's not fair Miss Alma! Why do you continue to say these horrible things about yourself? I do not understand!"

"Cedric, calm down...one of my ears is by your throat you know..."

"Mira, you're hurt!"

"It was worth it...father and mother have been teaching me to defend the precious ones that cannot watch over themselves. I had a choice between you and Alma, but you were closer to the impact point. I would rather be hurt now, than to know I could have prevented your injury."

Slowly, she stood up, just in time to hear the fierce roar of the golem that had come in. Cedric stood too, looking at the board in Mira's back with wide eyes. Alma, decently uninjured, was making her way over just in time for Mira to hand Tyrell to Cedric. She ripped the board out of her back, drew her sword, and sighed slowly, glaring at the beast before her. Under an intent she did not understand, she backed closer to stand protectively before Cedric; a stance that spread to Alma once she came close enough. Knowing that Mira would not want to be hugged right now, Cedric proceeded to throw his arms around Alma with tears in his eyes. Mira remained determined, her three ponytail's long, her silver and red dress armor bright, and her eyes glinting, each in their own color. Alma frowned at Cedric's hug, but slowly wrapped her arms around him while helping to support Tyrell.

Soon, she was hiding both children in her arms when she also realized that his parents were partially injured by the wreckage too. Turning her back to the fight that was about to occur, Alma immediately made a choice; she was going to protect these two boys, even if she died. His parents...they were trying to change her future, her suffering...and she hated them. She hated them for particular reasons, yes, but that grudge wasn't worth all of this anymore. They had been nothing but nice, and she had been a hellion. How horrible of her...but she had her reasons...and they ended now. She didn't know why she still felt an uncontrollable anger deep within her heart, and why part of her wanted to murder both of these children in her arms...children like her...but for the first time, she fought that urge. She fought that need to murder the two, waiting desperately for safety, and gritting her teeth as her head began to hurt with the conflicting emotions within it.

_**No more. Whatever was in her, she would fight back...!**_

"My drones are down right now because of this. But Starshine Future is here, to cut the fog that hides clarity. I am here to fight, and I will not let either of you be hurt. Even if I am still in training..."

"Mira, you have to hurry!" cried Alma.

Mira and Cedric gasped though, because her voice had changed. It was clearer, louder, brighter, and calmer. It was gentle, and settling, with the higher lilt of a beautiful child's playful voice. It was not the cruel and cold voice she had always bore. Despite the lilt though, her voice indicated severe alarm.

"Alma?" exclaimed Mira, shocked.

"Wh..." gasped Cedric.

"Please, I beg you! Something in me is demanding that I kill these two! I am holding back, please hurry! I am afraid, I am afraid of whatever is within me!"

"I...I understand! I will do my best!"

"Alma, are you okay?"

"I am fine Cedric...I will guard you, even if it costs my life. I am sorry, for every horrible thing I may have said. Something within me is wrong, please understand..."

"Please don't die!"

"I will do my best..."

_The baby wailed on and on as Mira launched herself at the golem..._

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><p><strong>Alright guys, a couple of things! <strong>

**What do you guys think so far of the story?**

**If you had to pick a ship for Cedric, what would you pick? Why?**

**-Remember that earlier, Seris identified that he seemed to have a thing for Ara.**

**-And now he has two children around his age. Sort of.**

**-Bear in mind that we have now seen that Alma isn't as bad as she seemed.**

**Have fun, and remember that the question is for fun! **

**Hope you enjoyed, and please review with anything you wish to say!**


	6. Chapter 5: Internal Eternal War

Oh my goodness! I'm on a roll! This probably the last chapter of the day, but who knows? Enjoy the rapid update!

**Hello everyone! This is a sequel to my Elsword story series. The series is currently two full stories and a companion short story series.**

**The stories the series consists of are _Relearning the Seraph, __Finding the Blazing Heart, and Anecdotes of a Small Child._**

_**Relearning the Seraph **_**is story one of the series, mainly an ElsEve. It gives the main premise that the series is founded on, as well as why Seris is alive.****  
><strong>

**Yes, Seris is alive. _Relearning the Seraph_ explains why, but this story gives an inklet of a hint too.**

_**Finding the Blazing Heart **_**is the second story in the series and is a relationship developments between Chung and Elesis. It also contains a Pichu.**

**I do not own Elsword or its characters. But I ship Elsword and Eve, Raven and Seris, and Chung with Elesis. **

**I own my conceptual format of Seris; including her class I made called Body of Light. My boyfriend and I share joint ownership of Cedric.**

**My boyfriend and I also own the "mystery child" that appeared last chapter, and is finally discussed in this chapter.**

**Speaking of my boyfriend, check out his stories! He is called _The Lost Son of Gaia_ on here, and would definitely appreciate readers!**

**(His Elsword stories are a treat, please don't miss out.)**

**Please enjoy and review!  
><strong>

**Classes:**

**Elsword: **Rune Slayer

**Eve: **Code Nemesis

**Rena: **Wind Sneaker

**Raven: **Blade Master

**Chung: **Deadly Chaser

**Aisha: **Dimensional Witch

**Ara: **Sakra Devanam

**Elesis: **Blazing Heart

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><p><strong>Embracing the Future<strong>

**~/~**

**Chapter 5: Internal Eternal War**

"_Forever, I believed I could not be saved. But if I, with all my sins, can be saved...then..."_

"Seris! Seris, answer me! We have an emergency!"

_**From Raven...**_

"It's no use! Why is she just staring at the wall so blankly?"

_**To Elsword...**_

"I don't know! She fainted yesterday, and now she won't snap out of this stare..."

_**Back to the first...**_

"We just had her talking to use five minutes ago, what is going on?"

_**Off to Elesis...**_

"It's bad enough the kids won't wake up..."

_**Over to Chung...**_

"Has Aisha figured anything out?"

_**An inquiry from Ara...**_

"No, but apparently Alma started glowing black and white a moment ago."

_**Response from Elsword...**_

"What!"

_**Cry of panic from the child's guardian...**_

"Yeah...and Mira made a pain face a moment ago."

_**Distress of the redhaired male...**_

"Something is torturing them, I can't do anything about it, and it makes me angry!"

_**Frustration of the Blade Master...**_

"Calm down Raven! My daughter is like that right now too, you know!"

_**Reasoning from the Rune Slayer...**_

"Panic will get us nowhere...Rena can't get her brother to wake up either..."

_**Utterance of the Nemesis...**_

"I would just like to hug my son and get my wife away from staring at this wall..."

_**Pondering of the man again...**_

"Do you think she might be reacting to something? You said she has healing abilities right?"

_**Thought of the parents with the built child...**_

"...could she be reacting with Alma?"

_**Question of the clumsy martial artist...**_

"Maybe. That might be why Alma is glowing..."

_**Nod of thought from the queen of nasods...**_

"But why the black gl...oh right. The darkness in Alma..."

_**Further intellect from the White Knight of Hamel...**_

"The darkness in Alma..."

_**From the knight and his sister...**_

"So my wife is basically purifying...me?"

_**Surprise of Raven again...**_

"You?"

_**Confusion from all...**_

"Well, I have a theory..."

_**The beginning of the explanation...**_

_**'...You cannot save me now...Set an inferno tonight...Torch me to oblivion...'**_

"Mira, please!"

_**And back to the middle of nowhere...in the furthest reaches of unconsciousness...**_

"Miss Alma...please hold on! Please don't give up!"

"I'm trying, just hold on a little longer!"

"I can't...I can't just fight myself forever!"

"You have to! Because that's not you, Alma! You are better than it! Fight it! Please!"

"Miss Mira, you're really hurt now!"

"I know that Cedric, but I have to fight! I have to, or this thing will kill us all!"

A scream erupted from Mira as the golem threw her into the wall once again. While Tyrell wailed on, Alma only held he and Cedric closer to her. She was not much in stature, but she was enough to completely protect the two while Mira fought on. The young one had already suffered, her fingertips aching at the pressure it took to hold the children still, as well as the debris hitting her back from the catastrophic fight between the built child and the large golem creature that had just broke in without warning. Her back was already soaked in blood, much like Mira's was from her single stab wound. Alma's was torn by wood, rocks, and glass from the window that the creature had tossed his opposition into. A few of the same shards were embedded in various areas of the nasod-human hybrid as well, although both girls were hellbent on protecting the youngest ones of the group. As Mira launched herself back from the wall, Alma winced as the pain in her head grew worse by the ticking seconds. All these conflicting emotions...her love, hate, anger, panic, determination...her need to protect these kids paired with a desire to kill them both. She couldn't take it much longer! The war against herself was ongoing for nearing an hour now, and it was a bitter one. Unfortunately, her inner war was interrupted with Mira getting thrown into her, slamming the girl head over heels into a wall. Mira tried to recover, while Alma screamed the severe pain of the shards getting pressed in further. With Cedric crying out to both and Tyrell beginning to fall asleep, the golem headed right for the boys in a rush. Realizing he meant to trample the pair, the purple haired child fought one final time against the cruelty in her heart. She rushed for them, throwing the boys out of the way, and accepting the blow as she was, once again, clattered into the wall.

"Miss Alma...! Miss Mira...!"

"Ugh..." Mira grumbled, fighting to reach her feet.

"Cedric..." groaned Alma, "-if I don't get back...tell your parents that I'm sorry..."

"No, that's not okay! That's not okay! Miss Alma...! Miss Mira...!"

"Defending those I care about is honorable. I can be repaired...you cannot..."

"I am too dark within to protect, Cedric...please don't cry for me..."

"I will cry for whoever I want to! Don't tell me what to do!"

At the golem's next roar, Alma began to glow white, a familiar cry shouting into her head.

_"__Alma hear me! I'll help you three turn the tables!"_

_ "Seris...? Why are you in my head too...? Why does that voice want me to murder them?"_

_ "Don't ask questions, little one. We have work to do."_

_**The wish I had begged for all my life**_

_**It was too much to ask for**_

_**I understood then**_

_**That this war within me would never end**_

_**I pleaded for better ends**_

_**I got no aid**_

_**I screamed til my throat was raw**_

_**But my reward was pain**_

_**In my end, remember me...**_

"Back when I was destroying Velder, during my days out of my mind...I murdered Alma's parents..." Raven sighed.

"What?" gasped Chung, "You..."

"So that's why she hates us," Eve realized, "-we're both nasod related, and that technology was involved in taking away her family."

Raven nodded, exhaling, "Yes. I recognized her features and connected it with some of my faint memories of the time."

"That's so cruel...she hates you for something you didn't mean to do..." Ara frowned.

"She has every right to hate me, but she doesn't," the man replied.

"What? But she said..." Elsword tried.

"She said, but she didn't. It wasn't Alma, but rather what took Alma over..."

"What took Alma over...?" Elesis questioned.

"I theorize that my anger in those days was so strong that it manifested into a spirited form. This wrathful spirit, this fragment of myself...it took Alma. It took Alma at her weakest point, when she was grieving over the parents I took from her," Raven sighed.

"So...what caused them all to get stuck asleep?" asked Chung.

"I don't know. Whatever it is though, my wife is resonating herself with Alma; that's my suspicion anyway. She's using her light abilities to manifest her will, to contradict the anger that swallowed Alma; light against darkness. In other words, she's reusing the cause that placed my anger in Alma to begin with; I guess Seris' Body of Light powers were more advanced than even I knew. With them, I think she is out to save them all."

"_**Can I really be saved?"**_

"_**Of course you can Alma. I saved Raven...I'll save you too..."**_

"_**But why?"**_

"_**Because I want to."**_

"_**Why?"**_

"_**Because you're important to Raven, Cedric, and me. We love you, Alma."**_

"_**But I..."**_

"_**You are forgiven Alma. Be still. I will heal everyone..."**_

Cedric marveled at the white light that bathed the entire room, originating from his mother's resonance with Alma; the resonance of light and darkness, the plea for a mother to save a beautiful child. He had to close his eyes, listening to the defeated roar of the golem while gasping a bit as he felt someone wrap arms around him and Tyrell. Pondering for a moment, he was able to realize it was Mira, who whispered comforting words to sooth the tearful boy. But the light was much to bright for him to face yet, as he felt Alma wrap her arms around all of them. The warmth that embrace held...it was important to him. These two girls...this baby boy...everyone, they were all special to him. They were all special to Mira. And they were becoming extremely special to Alma, who was being set free. She felt the pain in her head cease at the utterance of a spell from Seris in her mind.

"Be still, Cedric...Mira...Tyrell..." The voice was Alma, Seris, and Raven...all three voices, speaking into one sentence from a single mouth, "-we're going home now."

"It's going to be alright everyone," Mira chimed softly, "-we're all going to protect each other."

"Thank you Miss Mira...thank you Miss Alma...I'll protect you too. One day, I'll be older and stronger. Strong enough to protect what I hold dear too..."

"I'll help you..." vowed Mira, "-I must strengthen as well."

"Me too..." murmured Alma, "-me too."

_**The war against yourself is neither won nor lost...it is unending...**_

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><p><strong>All the poetics, lyrics, etc. are my own to my knowledge and ability.<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and will review!**


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